Disastrous Days In The Desert

Thus, Juha Kankkunen, like Vatanen a Finn and a driver for Peugeot, ended up with the victory in what had become one of the most disastrous sporting events ever conducted. Kankkunen himself acknowledged that miserable fact by attempting to bypass the victory ceremonies at the beachfront finish line. But a crowd of 50,000 would not be denied its pageant, and Kankkunen reluctantly made an appearance.

Earlier, after the first two deaths had been reported, Kankkunen had said, "I feel very sad about the way the race is going. People are taking too many risks. In January next year I plan to be somewhere else on the other side of the world." One could assume that, at race's end, the grimly silent Kankkunen hadn't changed his mind.